Major political parties in Enugu State have boycotted a Peace Accord signing event held on Wednesday ahead of the Local Government Elections slated for September 21.
The event, organized by ActionAid Nigeria, took place during a “Stakeholders’ Engagement on the Enugu State 2024 Local Government Elections.”
Notable absentees including the rulingPeople’s Democratic Party (PDP), the All Progressives Congress (APC), and the Labour Party (LP).
Other parties like the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) who were represented at the function declined to sign the accord due to the absence of the ruling party.
The Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, Andrew Mamedu, represented by Mr. Celestine Odo, the Head of Programme at ActionAid, emphasized the need for all political parties to commit to peaceful elections.
Although Mamedu did not specify how many parties had signed the accord, he stressed that efforts were ongoing to ensure that the absent parties would sign before the Friday deadline.
“This process is being driven by the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), the Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC), and others,” Odo explained.
Mamedu also highlighted that the peace accord is part of a larger strategy aimed at addressing long-standing issues in local government elections, such as low voter turnout and the marginalization of women and youth.
“Our aim is to create a more inclusive, accountable, and transparent governance system, with a focus on improving coordination for election security between stakeholders such as the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC), law enforcement, community leaders, and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs),” he added.
Mr. Udochukwu Egwim, Head of Programmes at the South Sahara Social Development Organization (SSDO), confirmed that IPAC was committed to ensuring that the remaining political parties sign the accord before election day.
ENSIEC Chairman, Prof. Christian Ngwu, gave an overview of the election preparations, assuring stakeholders that materials were ready and security measures had been put in place in collaboration with security agencies.
“ENSIEC is determined to ensure that the election truly reflects the will of the people,” Ngwu affirmed.
State Commissioner of Police, Kanayo Uzuegbu, also guaranteed that the police, along with other security agencies, would provide adequate security to allow voters to cast their ballots free from intimidation.
